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When it came to the first lunar eclipse of 2014 on Monday night, Alaskans got a bit lucky.
The penumbral eclipse began above the Last Frontier just before 9 p.m., which means Alaskans weren't stuck waiting until the witching hours for the show to kick off, like our compatriots on the East Coast of the U.S. Most of North and South America were treated to the eclipse Monday, and in places where the skies cleared long enough for the moon to make an appearance, many were witness to a "blood moon," a phenomenon not seen since 2011. Anchorage was among them, where some early-eclipse haze gave way to brilliantly clear skies and an equally brilliant view of the heavenly body.
The total eclipse arrived by 11:06 p.m., with the "greatest eclipse" -- that period when the moon is painted a startling, ominous red -- hitting 15 minutes before midnight. By 12:24 a.m. Tuesday it was over, and the eclipse began to slowly wane. Anchorage residents turned out to area parks and public spaces to witness the astronomical event, some snapping photos while others peered through telescopes or binoculars.
Alaska Dispatch photographer Loren Holmes was among them, and he captured these images from the show.
Did you miss it? Not to worry -- there's another one on Oct. 8, and Alaska is perfectly positioned to get one of the best shows. Clear skies? Who knows if we'll get lucky again.